A Directory of Great Architectures

Archive for December, 2010

Project description of BEAT House by studio LOOP:
In past 60 years, as information technology progressively changed, in Japan, our housing industry has rapidly adjusted to it. This “forced adjustment” to our society has caused a transformation of our traditional lifestyle, and housing space has been often talked by “nLDK” ; n (number of private rooms) L (living) D (dining) K (kitchen). The concept of nLDK is to describe how much value your house has. The spatial flexibility and relationship (private and public) among n, L, D, and K are separated and lost, and as a result, “function” started to walk alone.

A collaborative effort between Prefabricated Home developer Blue Sky Homes LLC and Palm Springs based Architect Lance O’Donnell of o2 Architecture; this 1,000 SF home is located in the Mojave Desert region at 4,000’ above sea level. The program called for a sustainable, modestly scaled residence to serve as a prototype for a prefabricated line of homes. Special attention was paid to site placement and building orientation. Inspired by Le Corbusier‘s “Domino”; the building contains a pure structure of columns and planes. Adaptability is created by the non-load bearing walls and openings that can be moved within the structure to satisfy a variety of site conditions.

All of pictures here are the visualization of FICC inc. interior project that’re taken by Yusuke Wakabayashi. Completed in November, 2010, the project is located at Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Designed by Upsetters Architects, the FICC has total floor area of 471 sqm . You can read the project description in Japanese here.

New York based Architect, Ju-Hyun Kim, has proposed a new approach to building theme parks – vertically. This skyscraper theme park project argues that there can only be benefits to building theme parks in a upright manner. Benefits include the fact that the theme park is close to where people live, reducing the need for long distance travel, and the environmental impact this creates, as well as having only a small footprint on the land. Theme parks are always stretched out over large plots of land, but in this skyscraper theme park concept, this is limited to the foot of the tower. The benefit doesn’t stop at the sustainability.’Density’ of the existing urban conditions will make theme park more exciting place. ‘Height’ of the vertically stacked theme park will also help to enhance theme park experiences to the visitors. The skyscraper theme park will be the new prototype, innovative landmark of the cities of tomorrow.

Project description of Østfold Airport Region Master Plan by FUTUREPROOF:STRATEGY
FUTUREPROOF was in September 2010 commissioned by Østfold Fylkeskommune to develop a masterplan for the areas surrounding Moss Airport Rygge in Norway. The submitted masterplan incorporates both a regional strategy for the region Østfold and a plan for the physical development of the airport’s surroundings. The plan strengthens the airport as the main infrastructure hub in the region without contributing to further urban sprawl. This is done by proposing a dense development with only the most necessary functions consolidated, such as hotel and conference facilities. As the regional strategy emphasizes, the main future development in the region should take place in the existing city centers.

Text from Corvin Cristian:
The house is inspired by the old wood boat sheds on the neighboring Snagov lake. The lot is narrow and thus generated the shape and position. For intimacy and view reasons, the street facade is totally opaque while the openings abound towards the courtyard. Sun protection is provided by exterior electric aluminum blinds that slide underneath the wood facade when not in use.

Text from Corvin Cristian:
All of the main elements have been salvaged along the years from houses under demolition or “rehabilitation”: the doors, entry gate, the oak windows in the dividing walls, ceramic stoves, cast iron bath tub, 1900 sink, wrought iron elements, lightning fixtures, various furniture, doorknobs, even the posts and beams needed to reinforce the existing 1904 roof structure are coming from old barns. Everything, except a few family objects, is reclaimed.

Press Release:
The Swedish architecture office Jagnefalt Milton has been awarded in the Norwegian master plan competition for the city of Åndalsnes. Their proposal was a to have buildings rolling through the city on rails.